Viñales is a beautiful and lush valley in Pinar del Río province of Cuba, with a population of around 10,000. It's about 26 kilometers north of the city of Pinar del Río, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This article also covers the town by the same name.

Viñales is said to be Fidel Castro's favorite place in Cuba. The mountains are beautiful, the farmers grow the best tobacco in the world, and tourists—who come every day by the busload—are allowed to mingle with the Cubans and spread money in a nice even sugar-coating.

Cuba was once covered by limestone ("karst"). Much of this limestone has eroded away, leaving mountains with steep sides and rounded, jungly tops. The mountains are called mogotes, which means "haystacks." Many mogotes have caves. Several caves are developed for tourists to visit.

The red farmland and unique microclimate produce the best cigars in the world. Some tobacco farms are set up for tourist tours.

Start at a tourist office or your hotel or casa particular. Point out something in the guidebook you'd like to see or do, and offer to pay someone to take you there. Or offer to pay for a Spanish lesson or a salsa lesson. Hire a local guide for a few hours and you'll make a friend, and he or she will introduce you to his or her family, and they'll invite you to do more stuff, and you won't be bored the rest of your visit.

But be aware of what's illegal to pay for. You can't pay someone to drive you somewhere, unless it's a licensed taxi. You can't pay for lodging, unless it's a licensed casa particulares (bed&breakfast).

Share Taxis Run daily from outside Havana's national bus station. 7-15 CUC can be haggled but maybe easier to pay 5 CUC to Pinar del Rio where you can catch another share taxi for 1CUC to Viñales. [2016-Jan]

Guided Tours Can be booked from a tour desk inside the Iberostar Parque Central Hotel (address: Calle Neptuno) in Havana. Group tours from several tour companies leave daily in front of the hotel at 07.30 am. The tours visit a cigar and rum factory Pinar del Río. In Viñales you will go to the Cueva del Indio, the Mural de la Prehistoria, a tobacco farm and the viewpoint next to the Horizontes Hotel. Lunch is included. Expect to be back in Havana between 02.00-05.00 pm. Price: 59 CUC p.p. [2016-Jul].

Perhaps the worst tourist attraction in Cuba is the Mural de la Prehistoria. In 1961 Fidel Castro visited a beautiful valley a few kilometers west of Viñales. He commissioned that the cliff should be painted with snails, dinosaurs, and a family of cavepersons, in garish colors!

There's a restaurant, bar, and gift shop. To be fair, the guidebook says that the food in the restaurant is excellent and the live music is good. Also there's bull and horseback riding. So consider visiting the mural and doing something other than looking at the mural.

You can rent a motorbike (a scooter) for about 20 CUC per day and ride it either to Cayo Jutias or to Cayo Levisa. The road is magnificent and you may even enjoy it more than the beaches. You will need your passport and driving license in order to rent a scooter. There's no need for a motorbike license.

Bicycles are 1CUC per hour or 8-10CUC per day. People rent off the street but the best bikes are at Casa de don Tomas

Cuevas del Indio The Cuevas del Indio ("Indian Caves") is five kilometers north of Viñales. The cave is well-developed for tourists, with lights and a boat tour. The price is 5 CUC and consists of 5 minute walk with a boat ride through the cave lake to exit. Really cool, but with how busy this place gets I waited 40 minutes in line for the boat-ride. High season in Cuba is mental. Nearby is a restaurant, gift shop, etc.

Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás For real caving, drive 15 kilometers west to the Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás, near El Moncada. This is the biggest cave in Cuba. Basic tours are two hours and you must hire a guide. Helmets and headlamps are provided, although you might want to bring a more powerful flashlight, if you have one. Also you're required to wear shoes, which is a problem for female Cubans, who seem to own nothing but sandals. The cave is spectacular, especially where the roof has collapsed and you walk into a green jungle paradise sunk into a mountaintop. The cave has 45 kilometers of galleries on eight levels. Also, the town of El Moncada was another of Fidel's ideas, and the streets are laid out to form a C, U, B, and A.

A great place to use as a home base for caving and exploring the area is the National School of Speleology in El Moncada. The School is located at one of the main entrances to the Gran Caverna de Santo Tomas. For a low price, you can rent a room or bed, have meals, and guide service. The School is rustic, but for real explorers the location can't be beat. For more information contact Eduardo, the School manager, by phone at 681274.

The national park building (near the Hotel Los Jazmines) has maps and exhibits showing fourteen excursions (see the photos below). The main hike everyone does circles behind the mogotes closest to the town. You can hire horses for this (offers were as low as 3CUC/hr). You may be able to hire a hiking guides at the Museo Municipal Adela Azcuy (Calle Salvador Cisneros #115).

The restaurant at the Patio Centro Cultural Polo Montañez (on the central plaza) is good. There's a restaurant where the locals eat on the street heading north, towards the Cuevas del Indio. It's a typical Cuban restaurant, serving pizza and spaghetti, with remarkably slow service. There's a little store selling snacks and ice cream on the main street, across from the plaza.

Finding affordable food is a struggle. Visit one street south of main, parallel, to find peso pizza from someone's door, the best coffee shop (red building) across from a well-stocked 24h canteen.

Patio Central Cultural Polo Montañez, Calle Salvador Cisneros (off the central plaza, between the Casa de la Cultura and the church). During the day a restaurant and snack bar serve food and drinks. At night salsa bands play here. Polo Montañez was a singer world-famous in Cuba.edit

Patio del Decimista, Calle Salvador Cisneros. A few blocks down from the plaza, a.k.a. the yellow bar. They also have live salsa music.edit

El Palenque de Los Cimarrones. The nearby Cueva de Viñales (Cave of Viñales) has a discotheque built into it. You just can't beat a discotheque in a cave (there's another one in Trinidad). Saturday night there's a cabaret espectáculo followed by dancing. Saturday night they host the hottest nightlife in the province — the place is packed, almost all Cubans.edit

Viñales has three tourist hotels: Hotel Las Jazmines, Hotel La Ermita, and Rancho Horizontes San Vicente. Each is rated three stars. Expect to pay about 50-70 CUC per night, plus meals. The hotels are each located a few kilometers outside of town, which is not conducive to nightlife (Rancho Horizontes San Vicente is within walking distance of El Palenque).

Hotel Las Jazmines, ☎+53 8 79 62 05. This hotel has one of the best views you'll ever see. In 1960, Fidel said, "Great view! Build a hotel here." It was one of his good ideas. The rooms are nice. The pool is big and clean. Breakfasts are good. Suppers were institutional in 2007 but in 2008 the food improved.edit

If you're hoping to socialize with Cubans, not elderly Canadians, stay in town at a casa particulares (licensed bed & breakfast). Every other house in Viñales is a casa particulares and homeowners are adding rooms as fast as they can scrounge up concrete blocks. Expect to pay 25 CUC per night (based on double occupancy), plus meals, which will be better than the hotel food.

Casa Lolita, Calle Adela Azcuy, No. 29, ☎+53 548 62 779 ([email protected]). One of the highlights of my trip was finding this humble Casa just off the main drag. It has one shared room with 2 double beds. Nothing fancy but perfectly comfortable, clean, and complete with fan, AC and en-suite. There is a nice front patio and a very filling breakfast is served daily in their living area. The host, Odalys, is the most genuine and kind host I came across during my month in Cuba and that's why I rate this place so much. She is very open and talkative and always has time to chat with her guests about this or that. I made a great bond with her and her husband Macho during my stay there and it was quite sad to leave at the end of it all. This place does not offer any other optional extras such as paid for lunches and dinners, tours etc, and thus none of the "encouragement" to take part in such activities, which I often found to be the case in other Casa Particulars I stayed in - Anything extra (such as the inivitation to dinner on my last night), was always out of kindness. Ideal for budget independent travellers or a small group/couple looking for something that's no-frills but with a real homestay feel and brimming with personal character and warmth.10-15 CUC. edit

Villa El Ranchon (Casa Ignacio y Raiza), KM 1 Carret. Pto Esperanza (.50m from the Police Station), ☎+53 52 56 8002 ([email protected]). Two very nice rooms in a quite area, close to the town centre. Each room has a private entrance with two comfortable beds, full private bathrooms with 24 hour hot water, super cold air conditioning, towels. There is a very nice private patio with beautiful views. The rooms are very comfortable and clean. The hosts are Ignacio and Raiza. Raiza is a marvelous cook, her food is very delicious. She can provide you with breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you so desire. You have no need to organize and schedule tours prior to arriving in Vinales. Ignacio can help you make all arrangements once you arrive. He is very familiar with the tourist attractions and services in the area. Ideal for couples, or for families and friends. "Highly recommend this casa. Great breakfasts and the lobster dinner is to die for. The hosts were very helpful and kind" Sheri , Boulder Colorado, USAedit

Villa El Rinconsito, Calle Séptima, No. 22, ☎+53 48 69 5478 ([email protected]), [1]. The house is very nice and welcoming, with all amenities. It has 2 double and triple rooms, spacious, bright, good ventilation, air conditioning and private bathroom in each. The house has a large porch, lounge, kitchen, a terrace exquisitely decorated shack that serves delicious meals and a garage to park your car. Cuban friends are welcome and are offered all kinds of services for tourists forget everything and relax. Ideal for tourists looking for quiet and rest.10-15 CUC. edit

Casa Grether Carlos, Calle Orlando Nodarse, No. 26, ☎+53 48 695460 ([email protected]), [3]. It offers one comfortable and clean room with all modern facilities. The room is equipped with a air conditioner, private bathroom and private entrance. It’s possible have breakfast, dinner and salsa lesson with professional teacher.15/20 CUC. (22.611986,-83.710697)edit

Casa Estrella y Miguelito, Calle Adela Azcuy (Norte), No. 21, ☎+53 0158233707, 48695040 ([email protected]). Located off the main and noisy street, the house has three independent rooms, all en-suite and with fan and air con. There's a porch, an outside eating area and a roof terrace. Good breakfasts and big dinners.15-20 CUC. edit

Casa Miguelito y Pedro Miguel (Casa Maria y Pedro), Calle Rafael Trejo, No. 11-A ([email protected]), ☎+53-48-793329 ([email protected]). Very good rooms in a quite area, close to the town centre. Hosts are Maria and Pedro. The rooms are very comfortable and clean. Private bathrooms inside. Maria can cook delicious breakfast (~4CUC), lunch and dinner (~8-10CUC). Maria works for the Viñales national park, and Pedro works for Cubataxi - so they are well familiar with the tourist attractions and services around. Ideal for couples, or for couples + child. Pedro is also fluent in Russian. "excellent, value for money accommodation. Good Food and wonderful hosts" Ntsoaki , South Afica20-25 CUC. edit

Villa La Salsa, Calle Adela Azcuy, No. 44, ☎+53 524 86 933. The hostess Mabel speaks good English. The rooms are large and in a similar style to other casas in Vinales. One has 5 beds and the other has 2. There is AC, a shower and a fridge in the room, although the hot water is sometimes intermittent. Mabel lives with her mom, who will show you pictures of the family if you speak some Spanish and ask nicely. Mabel has contacts for horse riding (20-25 CUC/day) and can lend bikes for a day (10 CUC/day). Horse riding is recommended if you intend to ride for long hours (Tourist office has 15 CUC/3hrs flat fee). Dinner is available on request (5 CUC) and is highly recommended. It is all homemade and is typically rice with soup, meat, salad and fruit. Breakfast for 5 CUC is optional, as similar options can be found in the village. You can also get a taxi collectivo from Mabel at 5 CUC below the market rate, but be warned: this unofficial taxi took 2 hrs longer than the standard bus. A good deal for people with tight wallets and have time to spare but you're better off taking the bus if you're tight on time.10-15 CUC. edit

It is possible to stay in a private house with his Cuban friend. The only requirement is that the Cuban passenger take your documentation to be recorded with his friend tourists.

Campismo Dos Hermanos, (near the Mural de la Prehistoria), ☎+53 8 79 32 23. Campismos were built by the government for Cubans to go on vacations. This one has 54 basic cabins. The swimming pool is big, although the water is remarkably green. There's also a restaurant.edit

Camiones Run from 8am to 5pm to Pinar del Rio for 2 pesos (nacionales!) from main plaza. Then catch share-taxi to Havana for 6CUC. If you're going onwards to destination on main Autopista, get the share taxi to drop you on the autopista outside Havana. You can easily hitch-hike (just hold out money) and avoid the rip-offs of Viazul and often the spoilt share-taxi drivers.

Cayo Levisa The boat dock is about 1 hours drive away from Vinales, from there its a half hour boat ride to the island. The island features stunning white sand beaches and there are some watersports available. There does not appear to be any coral reefs close to the island, so snorkling is not recommended.

Cayo Jutías is the closest beach to Viñales, 60 km on mountain roads. There are two roads&#151;before you leave Viñales ask which road is better. In 2008 the road via Minas de Matahambre was good, and the road via the Baños de San Vicente was bad.

This is a usable article. It has information about the park, for getting in, about a few attractions, and about accommodations in the park. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!